KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil today pushed City Hall (DBKL) to extend its rent exemption for businesses to include low-income renters at public housing projects (PPR).
He urged Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa to approve the move he said would ease the burden of up to 42,000 renters at a cost of just RM2.5 million to DBKL or effectively 0.08 per cent of its annual budget.
Fahmi claimed that about half of those renting PPR units were making below RM1,000 a month and the movement control order has severely disrupted their ability to earn any income.
“I believe around 20,000 families will surely face employment and income issues during this movement control order, and surely a large number of them, who run roadside businesses, work various odd jobs, those who nanny other’s children, and others, will be affected financially,” read a post on his Facebook page.
“I appeal for this additional aid request to be expedited, for the sake of the urban poor,” he added.
Annuar previously announced a one-month rent exemption for businesses under DBKL to help them cope during the restriction period, and that 500 of its day labourers would receive full payment even if they are unable to work throughout the shutdown.
Malaysia is in its second day of a two-week movement control order enforced to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the country.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was forced to address the nation again last night and plead with Malaysians to stay at home in order for the shutdown to have a chance of containing Covid-19 locally.
He cautioned that the shutdown could be extended if Malaysia is unable to slow the rate of Covid-infections, which rose to 790 cases yesterday.
